Thailand. Is a pretty great place.

Sometimes... I still have these weird moments where I'm like... "Huh.  This is my real life.  Here in Thailand.  Preaching the gospel."  That's weird... but.  It's SO good.  I like Thailand a LOT!  And sometimes it's weird to me that I didn't know the people I know before.  And that if I wasn't here... I would have no idea that they were even here.  I wouldn't care about these awesome people, because I never would've met them/I wouldn't have been able to talk to them!  Weiiiird stuff.  But I really love being out here and being a missionary!  It's hard and sometimes it's hard not to get frustrated with yourself!  And I definitely... have so much I could do better every day!  But I'm so grateful that we have the Atonement.  And that I get a chance to try to be better each and every day.  And that I get a chance to talk to people and meet and teach new people every day!  These people freak me out because they are SO awesome!! :)

First.  Lets talk about Sadang.  Sadang is awesome! :)    She is an investigator that we got from English class.  We teach English every week, and the first week everyone comes we do a little intro, and invite them to come learn with the missionaries!  So, apparently Sister Sadang and her brother were interested in learning from the beginning.  They are buddhist, but they go to a Christian school, so they have some Christian background.  It's kinda hard to find time to meet with Sadang.  Buuuuuut.  This week we got the chance, and it was awesome! :)  Even though this was our first lesson with Sadang, she had a Book of Mormon and she had a read a little bit of it (okay.  Back story to the back story.  She has a Book of Mormon because the other sisters have an investigator who is currently reading the Book of Mormon and LOVES it.  It is one of my favorite things to see him ride up to the church, whip out his Book of Mormon and carry it around with him like it's his prized possession!  At an activity, they were sitting by each other and he just started telling her about how sweet the Book of Mormon is, and she was like "I want one of those!"  Yeah.  Way to go Brother Mii (the other investigator).  She definitely got a Book of Mormon!)  So... she has a Book of Mormon, and we only have a few minutes to teach her... so we got a chance to tell her a bit about the Restoration, and how this is the only true church, and this book is evidence of that!  We taught her about how she can know for herself that what we're saying is true!  She thought that was so cool!  Which... it is!  How amazing is that?  There is only one true church on the Earth and you can know if this is it.  It's AMAZING.  Ahhhh.  I love the gospel.  I'm so excited for Sister Sadang!

Okay.  Nexxxxt.  Let's talk about church.  This week... Sister Stewart and I had a plan... where... I asked if I could do a musical number in church (Yeah... I know!  Volunteering myself to perform... sounds like me :P) and then we got to give people a tiny bit more motivation to come to church!  We were hoping to be able to get some of the Less Actives that we go visit to come to church!!  As the week rolled on... we had so many people commit to come to church.  Amaaazing.  Then Sunday rolled around... annnnnnd.  No one was there.  Sometimes that makes me laugh... a bit of a frustrated laugh.  But.  We can't do more than invite them!  :)  It was definitely sad though... but... I still had to do the musical number... so right as I stood up to go sing... Sister Waan walked in the door with her niece and daughter!  Wow!  I was thrilled!!! :)  It was kind of a blessing that she had these two, beyond cute, little girls with her!  Because... everyone loved them.  I wish more than anything that I could take a video of her niece saying "Sawadiikhaa" and doing a beautiful way.  It melts.  My heart.  Haha... yep.  It's one of those things that makes my voice go really high, and I can't even control it!  Oh man.  Buuuut.  Anyway!  :D  After sacrament meeting we took these two little girls up to primary, and Sister Waan stayed in there with them!  Also a blessing.  The primary president just happens to be Sister Mink, the member we took with us to teacher Sister Waan.  Sister Waan had a good experience at church though and said she was coming back before anyone asked her I'm pretty sure!  Wow!  :)

Annnnnd.  Finally... I just want to share something I learned in personal study yesterday preparing to go see that less active family I talked about last week.  (These are just my thoughts... which hopefully aren't blasphemous or anything :P)  I've been learning a lot about love out here.  Specifically, charity, the pure love of Christ.  As I was sitting there... trying to figure out what we should share with them... I tried to think about what the Savior would say if He were going to their house to visit them!  I wasn't totally sure... we've been there a lot.  They are an AWESOME couple.  They've done a lot for the church.  I can see that they know it still... but... something is stopping them from coming back.  We've shared scriptures...we pray for them, we invite them.  But, ultimately... it's up to them to do the actual coming to church!  A lot of times it seems like agency can be a point of frustration for missionaries.  You just want them to make the right choice!!!  Because you KNOW that they need to come back to church.  You know that we receive blessings from coming to church!  You know the blessings offered in the temple!   You know the blessing ultimately... of eternal life!  You see the goal and hopefully you want them to come back for all of the right reasons.  ... but you can't force anyone to choose.  So I flipped to Moroni 7, which describes charity.  And... actually... just flipping through the scriptures randomly I kept opening to scriptures that talked about love.  "Perfect love casteth out all fear..."  "Love your enemies"  "God is love..."  "That ye love one another"  Apparently... I have a lot to learn about love! :)  But... these are some of the thoughts that came to me.  Charity is long suffering.  God's perfect love for us is manifested in the fact that we have agency.  We have the freedom to choose!  His work and His glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man!  We are His work, we are His children, and He wants more than anything to have us return to Him, and to have us have what He has.  He knows the blessings.  He knows what "All that the Father hath" entails.  He knows our potential,  He loves us a lot more than I love our investigators or members!  A lot more even than parents love their children!  But still He allows us to choose.  While it must be agonizing to watch us choose wrong.  Just like it's hard for a missionary to be dropped by someone... but times a million!  It must be unbearable to have His children not come back to Him!  But... He does everything that He can for us... He provided a Savior.  He chastens us.  He is patient with us, in our weakness.  But still the choice is ours!  I don't know how to explain that over email!  But... it's just amazing to think about... and kind of not what it seems like at first!  I have SO much to learn about love!  Buuuuut.  Just some food for thought... if you can even see where that train of thought was going! :)

I love you family!  I'm excited for another week in Thailand... Time already feels like it's going too fast!  And I bet it's just gonna keep on rolling faster and faster!  Noooo!

Have a GREAT week!

Love,

Sister Croft

We had some rainy days this week.  Where we got SOAKING wet.  Also.  We road a bus on one of those rainy days... and... then this weird... motorcycle with like... a pushy... cart.  Thing in the front where you ride.  It was windy.  Like... boating.  But more pleasant :)  I liked it.  Haha... and apparently.  I couldn't open my eyes because it was tooooo windy.  Haha... maybe not an attractive picture.  Buuuuut.  Oh well.  It was fun! :)

That's all.

Ketchup, Sweetened Condensed Milk, Ovaltine

Deeeeearest Family.   You are the best! :)  I'm glad that everyone is doing pretty well.  The title this week... is brought to you by "things that I didn't expect to be popular in Thailand... that ARE popular in Thailand."  Yes.  It's true :)  Unexpected, but true! :)  I'm trying not to rekindle my old childhood addiction to Ovaltine :P  Haha.

Also.  Another funny thing.  Something that cracks me up sometimes here... is when people see us go by, and they just think we're so funny!  What are these white kids doing here? :)  Haha... I take it as an opportunity to be friendly, and hope that they'll want to learn more someday because they remember the missionaries who always "biked wayed" to them.  Buuuut.  My favorite is when people give us a thumbs up and say "very good."  It just makes me feel... very good.  :)  I love it! :)  I also love it when people... run out and say hello to us or something... and then are like... oh man... now they're actually coming to talk to us... noooo!  :)  But we do get a chance to talk to a lot of people because they're interested in learning English.  It's awesome!

Anyway.  This week has been a good one!  Why is it so hard to remember everything that you do in a week?  So much happens... and then it's hard to say when it did... but here goes...

This week!  We invited someone to be baptized on September 29th and she accepted the date!  Her name is Waan.  She owns a cocoa yen (yen means cool...) little shop.  And she has a daughter, and she's really great!  The Elders were teaching her before, but now we're teaching her!  She hasn't learned very much yet...but I have high hopes for her!  

Hmmm... I'm going to tell you about some more awesome members here in Phitsanulok!  Sister Amy.  Is AWESOME.  She has twin boys, named Nick and Name.  She is in her 50s I think.  And she is AWESOME! :)  Haha... she just makes me laugh so much!  I wish you could meet her!!! :)  The first time I met her she came to clean the church, and Sister Stewart told me she was kind of a less active lady... she definitely isn't less active anymore!  She calls us all the time and asks us what she can do to help us!  She LOVES coming with us to teach.  The first time she did she called us afterward and said "I LOVE SERVING.  It feels SO awesome!" annnnd today when she called us she told me "I want to serve... because I want to receive blessings... pause... and then she bursts into laughter!"  Haha.  Sister Amy is just so great.  I can't even tell you about her.  She just dyed her hair purple :) and she makes the most expressive faces ever.  And she has amazing faith, and loves to serve!  She told us this story... she said "Once... I was cleaning the church... and then afterward I was so hungry, so I prayed and said 'Heavenly Father, I'm really hungry, and I cleaned the church today.'  and then... someone just showed up at the church with food."  I LOVE it.  If only we could all have Sister Amy faith.  She also prayed that Heavenly Father would send sister missionaries to Phitasnulok.  And then He did.  We now have 4 Sisters and 2 Elders.  I love it!  She has AMAZING faith.  I'm working on having Sister Amy faith :D

Annnd.  Another thing that we do... is go visit a lot of Less Active people.  Which I really like doing I've decided :) I just want them to come back so badly!  They'll show us their baptism pictures... or tell us about their conversion.  And sometimes it's hard to help them rekindle their faith kind of!  Right now... we have this less active family, I'm DYING to come back!  Their names are Bunmii and Daw.  And I've heard they used to be strong members, and used to be so giving in their time to the missionaries, they would go everywhere, preaching the gospel, and helping the branch grow!  And now... I think there are some habits and struggles that have entered into their lives.  We've been to visit them... twice I think since we've been here!  We took the Branch President with us this week... and we sang a hymn, and taught out of Alma 5, and talked about the Savior!  (I love that chapter! It's awesome!) The spirit was there, and I KNOW they know it's true... it's just hard to help them step past whatever... fear... or problem, or whatever stumbling block is in the way!  There are some other less actives that are similar.  I just really want them to come back, and I know that they have the knowledge it's true, but they need kind of a rekindling... and hopefully through love, and direct invitations, and kind of trying to rekindle that faith, we'll get em back to church!  It's gonna happen.  I'm determined to get this couple to church!  It also makes me think... I probably didn't even think about the people that didn't come to church in our ward.  I probably didn't even know who they were.  Which is reaaaaally silly, I probably didn't even give them a second thought... besides like... man.  I wonder why they don't come to church.  Buuuuuut.  There is definitely work to be done there too!  Because it's all the same work!  

Annnnnd.  Also.  This week.  Brother Gap told us he might get baptized next month!  Which is AWESOME!  He's the great one who has been an investigator forever because of some family/cultural things that have pushed off his baptismal date!  It's really exciting!  He is so excited to be a missionary.  And he'll be a great one!  He helps us teach all the time already!  But it's awesome... as my companion pointed out to me... we talked to him about baptism... on the last day of a 40 day fast that our branch did (someone fasting everyday for 40 days, for missionary work!)!  Really awesome!

Also.  I'm getting less and less afraid of talking to people :) Haha.  Which is good.  This week I stood and sang hymns in a parkish thing... chased someone down that I thought I might want to talk to... and... I try to be friendly and cheerful to everyone I meet!  It's still kinda hard/scary to not know what people are saying back to you... buuuuuut.  :)  It's good!  :)  I love Thailand!  Woohoo! 

Love,

Sister Croft  

P.S. The guy in red is Brother Gap.  

Ummmm...

Sometimes I can't think of anything to put for a title.  Oh well :)  Haha... as long as it's not "Another week"  ;)

 

First I'll answer some questions from my momma... sacrament meeting is really good!  I don't really get what people are saying usually... in fact a lot of the time I'm like... "ehhhh..." and then I proceed to nod my head encouragingly... and pray that they're saying only true statements.  It's probably not a good practice, because sometimes I don't know if they are... but.. I'm working on understanding!  Sacrament meeting really is good though :) ... it's still a chance to take the sacrament, and feel the spirit, and be strengthened by other people's faith!   

We basically... don't ever cook :P that's maybe not good... I'm not even sure what to cook though!  We usually eat out for basically every meal!  At little carts... or those like... 3 wall restaurants. 

We go use the computer at an internet cafe thing. 

We have a cell phone, it's not a smart phone.  But it does have a touch screen, which is too smart for me :P haha.  Sometimes it takes me like 5 minutes to call someone.  First I have to scroll using my fingers... then accidentaly almost call 10 people.  Then I have to find their name in Thai. 

It is preeeeetty hot somedays.  Haha... my companion says, "you know it's bad when you have upper lip sweat"  or when you cross your legs and your leg starts sliding off because you're so sweaty!  Pleasant I know :)  Haha.  But we survive the heat for sure!  It's usually okay! 

 

This week was good, man... so much stuff happens in one week.  It's really hard to remember what we did... and what I've told you...and what was when!  Did I tell you about those two girls from English class?  Sister Ooom and Sister Dxey.  The ones who ask really good questions!  We've had one more lesson with them... well on splits!  But both of them had prayed and said they felt good and believed in God and in Jesus Christ!  Hooray! :)  I'm so excited to teach them more!  But... unfortunately they have tests right now... and school is making it really hard to meet with them!  I think we'll get to see them on Tuesday though! 

 

Hmm.... what else... we did a lot of service this week!  We went and helped this family sand and paint, and then on Saturday we went and helped at this English camp for a really long time!  I really like teaching English sometimes.  Haha... I think I'm better at teaching the really simple than the complex... and I also think I'm probably "that crazy farang" who makes them review vocabulary a lot so it'll stick to them... and tries to make everybody talk!  Hehe... if only I would take my own advice :P  The English teacher that teaches there comes to sacrament meeting!  She says that she likes feeling good, but whenever we try to talk with her more she is like "no no no, I don't have time for that!"  Or "I already know about it"  She has a really good heart though, and really cares about her students... we'll soften her up sometime soon hopefully ;)  It'd be great to teach her!

 

Hmm... we've had a lot of people pit on us (cancel an appointment, not show up, not be at their house... you know :) haha... I just turned to the other sisters and said... is "pit" an English word... or is that a Thai word?) this week.  So we haven't had a chance to meet with a lot of the awesome people that we've met.  We've tried to talk to that Christian woman that we met at the gas station, she is so amazing!  But also we were a little nervous to go teach her... because it'd end up not being teaching... because she doesn't feel like she needs anything more!  So... when I called her to try to change an appointment, I told her straight up that we really want to share the message of the restoration with her!  And she told us we could come by one day... and then... she pitted on us.  :(  Bummer!  It's hard when people don't want to learn, or don't want to meet with you!  I just want everybody to learn and recognize the truth!  And also... sometimes it makes me both laugh and sigh with frustration when we ride out a long ways to do service, or to talk to people... and then we call them because they aren't home... and they're randomly gone... noooo! 

 

Also.  The Elders in our district had a baptism this week!  Hooray!  The newest member of our branch is amazing!  His baptism was after that English camp, and the Elders had a member turn on the water so that the font would be full when we got there a bit before the baptism... but thennnnn... we got there and the water was turned off and the font drained.  Someone turned it off when they were cleaning the church!  NOOO!  So... we filled the font with every source of water that was available in that building... and a hose from outside.  And so we had a slightly late baptism in pretty dirty looking water!  But it was a baptism none the less!  I am so excited for him!!  Wow!  I'm just amazed by the faith and courage of people, and so happy at the covenants and steps that are being made!  Yay!!!  Brother I-team has the truth in his life!  I'm so happy for him!!

 

One more paragraph, we have 4 or so new investigators that I'm so excited about!  A brother and sister who are really interested, and want to know more, just because they're awesome!  And there is a mother and a daughter who are amazing!  The daughter speaks incredible English.  She's going to start up a nursery here in Thailand that will teach both English and Thai I'm pretty sure... part of my heart says.  Man that sounds like a dream... coming back and volunteering in Thailand in a nursery!  Thai kids are ADORABLE.  :)  But they are just such amazing people!  We had a lesson with them... the daughter has already learned a lot with other missionaries in Bangkok, and the mom is learning for the first time, and she has a lot of questions, which is so good!  Today we went to breakfast with them before they head of to Bangkok, and we ended up talking about the temple and how we could be sealed for time and all eternity in the temple!  The daughter is engaged, and will be getting married in a couple of weeks!  Man.  I just want them to have the gospel!!!  I'm learning... not to tip-toe so much with how I testify.  I get nervous sometimes... (this is not a good thing little brothers :)) to tell people the truth!  Because I don't want them to turn away!  I've seen the "ehhhh... now they're talking about Christ" look in people's eyes a lot!  And so I get nervous.  But also... honestly, all I can do is present the truth!  And really testify of the truthfulness... and then they choose whether or not to accept it!  I proceed with caution sometimes, instead of being bold!  That's not very good!  When we go out finding people we're supposed to talk about the restoration!  It seems kinda scary... because that's a pretty bold statement.  Part of me gets nervous about the change in countenance, the "My ow" (that's how you say it :)  but it just means like... not interested at all) attitude that happens.  Buuuut.  Actually.  What we're saying is the absolute truth!  And those who are ready will hear it... and if they're gonna be totally turned off after we say it... it probably doesn't matter too much when we say it... whether we tip toe around it and then share that slowly... or... whether or not we share the truth with them to begin it!  Maybe I'm preaching false doctrine in saying that :P but... I'm learning to be more bold!  Haha... I know that's weird because, I AM the girl who sings really loudly everywhere I go... and speaks my mind most of the time... but...it's kinda scary sometimes :) but also such a priviledge.  To know the truth first of all.  Second of all... to be the way Heavenly Father tells someone about the truth!  The most beautiful and true truths ever!  The gospel is true, I KNOW it!  And I'm so blessed to know it! 

 

Love you so much!  Have a GREAT week!

 

Love,

Sister Croft

P.S. pictures... that's the first rice field I've seen here :P  And just some... Thailand for you!  :)

 

Woohoo! I love Thailand

This week has been such a good one.  First.  I accidentally crashed on my bike.  Not a huge deal.  Haha... it looked rather stupid actually.  I just ran into my companion because I didn't realize she was turning in front of me.  And she was.  :P  Ooooppsie.  And then I fell off my bike.  And then I scratched my knee.  But I didn't even cry.  :)  Hahaha. Here are some fun pictures of my beaten up legs.  They're a little mosquito bitten.  Though actually right now... they don't look very bad at all.  Plus I cleaned them with iodine because that was all I found and it made it look grosser :P   

 

Anyway.  That was not important at all :) just kinda funny!  This week we have come into contact with soooo many people.  Right now we have a big handful of new investigators! 

 

Kinda going backwards in my week... last night and the night before we taught these two girls that come to our English class!  They are so cute!  They're a couple of years younger than me, and I think they just think Sister Stewart is the coolest person ever!  They are so great though!  Even though I think they might be a little bit embarrassed or nervous when we ask them questions they ask US very honest and open questions and I love it!  I really hope they keep learning with us because they are GREAT! 

 

We also have a new/formerish investigator.  This woman is going through so much right now... from what I understand she was sort of investigating the church sort of recently.  But... I dunno if she was really serious or not... but... she basically came to the point where she was asking everyone for help... and so she asked the missionaries!  After kind of a crazy time trying to meet with her, we ended up with her at the church the same day she called us.  And we listened to her tell us her problems, and I could just see the weight of the world on this woman's shoulders.  Man.  Honestly everything you can think of is going on in her life right now.  But I had the chance to bear testimony to her that while we didn't know what she was dealing with... and we really didn't understand.  (Because... she feels like people sometimes just tell her "It's fine.  Everything will be fine... but she is very much so... not feeling fine right now!) that the Savior does understand.  And that through Him, even though it might feel impossible, she could find hope!  I really hope she understood that.  It was through Thai and a lot of tears, I honestly couldn't help it!  She did get to talk to the President of  the Branch yesterday though.  And I think... she left with some hope and some solutions.  I just really hope that she really does follow our invitations to come and be healed though!  Because it hurts my heart that she feels so alone right now!  Hopefully she'll come learn more with us! :) 

 

Also.  Sister Erng hasn't been able to meet with us this week.  But hopefully we'll get to talk to her next week! 

 

What else.  This week there was a leadership training meeting.  So out of us 4 girls in the house.  Only the greenies were left!  Sister Muller was my phii thai in the MTC.  And she's been her for a month or so.  And so... for around a day and a half... it was Sister Muller and I.  We can't REALLY speak Thai.  Or really understand Thai for that matter :P  Haha.  But it was really a great experience.  We did a lot of contacting.  And a lot of bike riding... and then finding that people weren't home.  But the many hours of contacting were so good for me.  Sister Muller helped me be less scared of talking to people :P and... we did get to talk to a lot of people.  I don't think we found anyone that was interested.  But it did make me think a lot about how I could contact better :P  because while it's not always the missionary's fault... I know I was probably not doing it as well as I could have!  It made me think some more about what it would be like to be a Thai person... a Buddhist person in Thailand, and then what kind of things would be important to me.  What way I would want to be treated by some Farang (I spell things however I want :P  But that means foreigner).  Hopefully I can apply some of that this week!  I just wanna love the Thai people like I love my family!  Sometimes I feel like there is a little bit of a barrier because it's hard for me to like... really know what someone's personality is like because I can't understand hardly anything they're saying.  But at the same time.  It shouldn't be too hard :)  And it isn't really that hard!  And there are so many great people here!  Watching people helps a lot!  :)  I do think my love for them is a growin' though!  They are AMAZING!

 

Honestly.  Just some thoughts on some awesome people here in Thailand.  Wowza.  I can tell that Heavenly Father is gathering His elect here in Thailand.  Honestly.  The youth (and adults and children :D) here freak me out a bit because they are so wonderful!  There is one sister here, who is around my age.  WOW.  She is AMAZING.  When she was like 11, she started stopping the missionaries, who would pass by her house a lot.  And she told them she wanted to learn.  They didn't really take her seriously for a bit... but then... they finally taught her and she is just incredible!  The people here are just so kind.  Do you know how much food I've been given this week?  A bunch!  One woman that Sister Muller and I met stopped and bought us food, which was shocking because we'd felt like she was really turned off when we told her that we teach about Jesus Christ.  But no, she just stopped and bought us food anyway.  They are also so willing to come help us teach, and just so kind hearted!  Honestly.  They are amazing!  I like getting the chance to try to help some people rekindle their faith, and I like being able to try to find people that already have faith, or are ready to have it!  And I also love seeing the faith of the people who have already become members.  The youth that are coming even when their families aren't, the families that are learning from their examples.  It would take some courage to switch religions!  As lots of really courageous people here and across the world know!  But they are AMAZING!  And the church IS TRUE!  :)  Hooray!!

 

I love you so much!  I pray for you all, and I'm glad you're doing good things at home!  Sometimes I brag that I'm related to you :P It's a real thing!  Have a super week!

 

LOVE,

Sister Croft

 

P.S. On an unimportant note.  This week I ate Somptham (again... making up the spelling) for the first time.  It's a papaya salad.  And you can choose how much spice you want in it.  The first time a got a 2.  And my eyes watered uncontrollably.  Annnnd... I relied desperately on a smoothie to cool my burning mouth.  Thai hot gets progressively hotter as you go.  You try to eat rice to cool off your mouth.  And it burns your mouth instead.  Fun times. :)  Actually it's way good!  I'm just a baby.  The next time... I only got a 1.  Hehe.  So good.

 

P.P.S.  These pictures are super beautiful I know.  Haha.  Ugly legs (sorry... for the knees.) and me walking in from the rain with all of my food and everything.  That is an icecream sandwich in my hand.  A.k.a. rice and icecream on a hot dog bun.  LOVE it!

Thaim to Say Goodbye to the MTC. And HELLLOOOO To Thailand!

Sawadii khaa khrab khrua!

 

What in the world?  You guys.  I'm in Thailand.  Yep.  Let that sink in a little.  I'm in Thailand.  It's night time for you.  It's daytime for me.  Weird huh? :)  Hahaha.  Oh my.  I don't even know where to begin.  So much has happened since I got here.

 

First.  The end of the MTC was super!  I love that group of kids so much.  SO SO much.  And hopefully we'll stay in contact with each other.  Our mission president promised us that we would! :)  But... then... we got on a bus.  And then got on the trax, then got on a plane, then got on a plane, and on one more plane.  And theeeeen we were in Thailand.  And we were exhausted!  (The typhoon just made it so we had to go in for 2 landings :)  we went down for one... and then pulled up really quick.  And then circled around and came down again.  And then we were cancelled and then delayed :) fun for our mission president who had to wait for us!)  We were honestly like babies that fall asleep in their high chairs by the time we were eating dinner!  But it was so good!  My mission president and his wife are AMAZING!  President and Sister Senior are so fun and so spiritual!  And I just love them already, and I'm sure I will love them even more the more I get to work with them and get to know them!

 

Hmmm... What is important for you to know? :)  Thailand feels SO much like Taiwan.  Honestly... SO much like Taiwan.  Except here I can pick out maybe a couple words of what people are saying, and then I can tell people "I'm so sorry, I can't understand you!" :) Haha.  It's hot... though not unbearably so (except I think I've had some abnormally cool days here!), though I have done a good deal of sweating and drinking lots of water!  It's rained... only once?  Though when it rained.  It poured a lot! :) Um... I have about 11 mosquito bites (a.k.a. disformed arms and legs but oh well! :))  My first real Thai meal from a cart... was slightly harsh on my stomach.  But :P  Oh well again!  :) Haha.  Annnnnd.  The food here CAN be pretty spicy.  I don't even know the half of it.  We went to a restaurant place one day... and everytime they start a new dish the spice would like travel through the air and choke us to death.  That's spice you can feel before you even get the meal! :)  It's lots of fun though!  It's kind of exciting and new and very good! :)  It is taking some adjusting!  But it's good adjusting! :) 

 

Also.  Riding a bike in a skirt is reallllly hard.  The first day my skirt was just good I guess... because it wasn't too bad.  The second day Sister Stewart and I rode our bikes for about 25 minutes.  I'm sure you can picture me doing this quite well.  Haha... it was me...frantically trying not to lose my trainer.  Annnnnd. ALSO. Trying to hold my skirt down (but I was failing) annnnnd.  I was also trying not to die.  Because from what I can tell... you just kinda do what you do in Thailand traffic!  You go... and then people go.  And that's how it works!  :)  It was a super embarrassing hour in total (we had to ride home too!) Haha... but.  I'm working on inventing something to prevent that from happening. 

 

My trainer's name is Sister Stewart!  She is so sweet and patient with me, and super chill.  I like her a lot!

 

Now on to the more important stuff.  The people of Thailand!  First you should know I'm in an area called Phitsanulok, which is interesting because it's a HUGE area apparently.  It's also not Bangkok.  And not the country area.  And not Chang Mai.  It's Phitsanulok :)  And the members here are great!  There are a bunch of youth that we see and work with frequently and they're just great!  Our branch is smallish and we're about 20 or so people away from having a real church building!  

 

Some of the amazing people that I have met... first.  Brother Gap.  Brother Gap is awesome!  He's like Jared's age... and he is such a wonderful person.  When we met with him one night to teach him, I asked him what he liked to do and he said "I like to help people, if there's anyone that's sad or they need something, even though I'm not a member yet, I like to help them in anyway I can!" WOW! :)  And he really follows through.  He shows up to everything way early, and he's ready to work, ready to help, and he's so nice.  Haha... he also told me in that lesson that I didn't need to be shy!  (I'm working on it :)  sometimes I really don't know what anyone is saying... so thennnnn... I don't know quite what to say!  But I'm getting better)  He's just amazing!  He's been investigating the church for a long time, and he basically is a member, but he has to wait for a bit to be baptized.  But I am so amazed by his faith!  From what I know of him, he's just a really Christ like person!

 

Another amazing person.  So, remember the bike ride I just talked about?  Well we were going to see an investigator with a baptisimal date, she works at this gas station and we can go talk to her at work!  We got there, and I'm not quite sure what she was doing, but we got talking with this lady who works there too.  Her name is Erng.  And Sister Stewart was saying that she was from Las Vegas (I get asked where I'm from/what race I am all the time.  I'm mastering telling people that I'm a "Half child, Taiwan people" or something of that sort if you translate it literally.  It's kinda funny!)  Annd then she mentioned that they have lots of Casinos there, and Erng said that something to the affect of that she wouldn't enjoy that because she's Christian.  (which... now that I think about it... do Christians even usually not gamble?  I dunno!) But.  We started talking to her... and eventually it developed into this full blown explanation of what she believes.  WOW.  I can't understand everything.  But honestly Sister Erng, basically knows the whole gospel.  She may have even quoted Preach My Gospel a couple of times.  She said like... God is our Heavenly Father he sent us down to Earth, he sent the Savior so we could repent, and find peace in this life.  Just EVERYTHING.  I was blown away!  Honestly.  She basically knew the whole gospel, and I'm not sure how!  She has a Bible that she studies, and I guess that's where she learns everything?  But.  There was another crazy moment when Sis. Stewart brought out this picture of the Godhead, and we started talking about it.  And for a minute I was super scared, because both of us thought the other person was saying that the Godhead was all one person.  But Sister Erng was like "no... that's not correct, lots of Christians believe they're the same person but they're not!" Which was kind of a relief to me :) And amazing!  I just can't even describe it!  She's incredible!  And so kind to us!  Yesterday she wanted to meet with us, and we ended up having to leave right after we got there because someone needed us, and she was so nice.  We have an appointment with her on Tuesday though!  Part of me is nervous that she won't be receptive of our message and she'll get hung up on something!  Buuuut.  I'm trying to have faith that the spirit will testify to her!  She also mentioned how she knows its true, and even though it's hard and her family doesn't understand... she is Christian because she knows it's true!  Wooooow!  Sister Erng is amazing!

 

I'm not sure what else to put in here! :)  To be honest, sometimes I'm like... man... :) Heavenly Father probably has to send this whole squad of angels to protect me from my own craziness (see... crazy bike ridng... or like... a number of other dumb things I might say or do!) sometimes :) I'm half expecting a letter that says "Heavenly Father has decided that you are costing him too many angels and blessings for the amount of output you're giving!  So... we're gonna have to let you go!" :)  Buuuut.  At the same time... when I pray and tell Heavenly Father how I'm feeling, and when I'm scared I'm gonna die on my bike :) He patiently teaches me to have more faith in Him even if my own abilities are kinda iffy.  Honestly my abilities don't matter, even though it's hard to remember that sometimes :) Haha.  Like when I accidentally say a random english word in my testimony in sacrament meeting "Seestee rusxg kaatanyuu mag samrab EXAMPLE.  Oh... hehe... duayong." (actually that stuff just makes me laugh usually... the language is hard... and I wish I could understand people!  But it mostly just makes me laugh, and then study more vocab! :)) Heavenly Father can make up the difference no matter how big it is!  His grace is sufficient!  This morning I feel like I was taught out of Alma 2.  When the Amlicites/Lamanites gang up on the Nephites.  And there is a verse that says "they were numbered almost like the sands of the sea" or something like that!  :D  And I imagine like... Mulan, when they all pop up over the ridge of the mountains, or Lord of the Rings or something. Cue the dramatic music, and the smoke, and the armies.  And then these Nephites, who HAVE done there best... preparing weapons, and captains, and then spying on them and all that... just pray.  And trust in God to strengthen them against the threat of death!  Wowwwwza.  But the thing is.  Heavenly Father heard that prayer :) and He hears mine, and He hears YOURS.  And Christ knows how to succor us perfectly.  Most importantly from this email :) hopefully you know that much!  That the gospel is TRUE! :)  It really really is.  Christ is our Savior, Heavenly Father hears our prayers!  And as I'm re-taught every day... His grace is sufficient!  And He really does work with people and prepare them to be taught.  See Sister Erng or Brother Gap as an example!  I love the gospel so much!  I felt so grateful to take the sacrament, to know that it's the same everywhere because it is TRUTH! :)  Woohoo :) Here is to another week in Thailand!  It's awesome, and hard, and out of my comfort zone!  But so good and definitely worth being stretched a bit! :)  The gospel is TRUE! :D

 

Have a Super Duper Week.  So good that it requires random capitilization. :)

 

Kap Khwaamrag mag mag mag,

Sister Croft

Sister Croft's address in Thailand

Sister Rachel Croft
Thailand Bangkok Mission
1645/6 New Phetchburi Road
Makkasan, Ratchathewi
Bangkok, Thailand 10400

I'm Running Short on Thaim

Sawadii Khaa Khraab Khrua (hello family!!!) 

 

I can't believe this is happening.  I have 5 more days unti I fly off to the Land of Smiles and my heart is just SO full while I'm sitting here writing this.  WOW!  I don't even know where to begin.

 

This week was a good one!  We had one investigator get baptized, and another one will be getting baptized this week!  I love those investigators.  We had kind of a fun lesson with the 17 year old, we tried doing activities with him.  And we did a little activity when we taught the word of wisdom (thank you Sister Ference for the idea!) and it's just so fun to see him as a quiet person smile and get to know us as missionaries and as people!  Hooray!  I get to go meet so many more people.  And really connect with them heart to heart.  I'm so excited!!!! :)

 

We had kind of an interesting and unique lesson this week with one of our teachers.  He decided to have us participate in a kind of like... role play type of thing.  Where we acted as though we were at the trial of the Savior.  I was a part of the jury, but there was a defense and la la la.  The whole deal.  The point behind it though... was to have us think about how we would defend the Savior if we had had a chance to.  If there had been a trial in which we could stand and testify that He is the Savior of the world.  How would we testify?  What words would we use, would they just be words?  Or would they be a living breathing testimony of the Savior?  He mentioned that we maybe could've seen those things from heaven... and wished they we could open our mouths and tell people the truth!  Obviously the point of that would be... that we ARE living, breathing, witnesses of the Savior.  We have the chance to testify that we know that He lives, that we know that He is our Savior (phraphuuchuayhayrccd) and Redeemer (phraphuuthay) and we get to invite people to Come Unto Him and find rest.  Wow!  Isn't that just the best thing ever?  My heart is so full!  And I'm SO EXCITED!!!  Woohoo! 

 

I honestly am struggling to remember what I did this week... teach.  Study.  It's kind of a blur!  But I've had I feel like... some good study sessions where I could tell that the Spirit was teaching me (there really is a pretty distinct difference between "Sister Croft thoughts" and Spiritual Promptings when I study... Sister Croft thoughts are way less smart :P).  Just some interesting thoughts from that!  I think this week I've learned about the Savior.  I love the Atonement, and the more I learn the more I realize I need to learn, and the more I love the Savior and overwhelmed by what He did for us!  I think that... part of the reason why we are enabled to do things through the Atonement is because the Savior has gone before us... He has felt all that we've felt.  It's incredible to think about.  Man.  It's amazing and it's real and true!  I also think that the Atonement is closely tied to covenants :) and I'm just beginning to understand that a little bit!  But those are just some thoughts...

 

I've also thought a bit about how amazing it is that each of us chose to come here on Earth.  To leave our Heavenly Father because we wanted so badly to become like Him.  Because we needed this physical experience!  BUT.  EVERYONE chose that plan.  The anti-mormons... the many Buddhists in Thailand!  Sometimes... I can't believe how short of a time it was that I went without the gospel.  I don't know how the veil works.  But I probably drove up to the "Earth drop off" (like the MTC-curb) in Heaven... and popped down here to Earth.  Where sweet parents taught me the gospel since birth.  And now!  I am lucky enough to get to fly on over to Thailand (seriously... can't complain that my travel will be long... because like... in 17 miracles when Levi Savage goes to Siam a.k.a. Thailand (never noticed that one before!) it probably took him a bajillion majillion years.)) and remind those people who chose this.  Yay!  Doesn't that just make you happy?  It's a little daunting to think that I represent the Lord... and people will be able to ask me about it.  I'm more scared to answer in English than in Thai!  But.  I'm excited enough to get over being afraid (I hope :)) and get over not being able to say anything in Thai.  And to just smile... and speak.  To open my mouth and say.  Yep.  This is the TRUTH!  And I want you to know it! :)  I would never ever ever in a million years do this if it wasn't.  I wouldn't go somewhere to lie to people.  Especially if it was gonna be this hard :P  But it's true.  And I'm not alone.  And it's AWESOME!  Yccd yiam (literally means the peak of awesomeness) haha.  Anywho.  I'll talk to you soon!  The gospel is TRUE! Rejoice about it a little!!! :)  Woohoo :)

 

Gap khwaamrag mag mag mag mag mag!

 

Sister Croft